The invention relates to a reproducing device as defined in the opening part of claim 1 and to a method of reproducing reproduction data as defined in the opening part of claim 6.
Such a reproducing device as defined in the opening part of claim 1 is known from the document EP 0 896 718 A2 and takes the form of a digital video recorder which is adapted to reproduce reproduction data, recorded on a magnetic tape, in accordance with a method as defined in the opening part of claim 6.
The known video recorder has transport means by which the magnetic tape can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape with a normal-play speed and a plurality of trick-play speeds. The normal-play speed during the reproduction of reproduction data then corresponds to a recording speed during the recording of the reproduction data on the magnetic tape. A first trick-play speed corresponds to, for example, 4 times the normal-play speed and a second trick-play speed to, for example, 6 times the normal-play speed.
The known video recorder further has reproducing means for reproducing reproduction data recorded on the magnetic tape, which reproducing means include a scanner having a rotationally drivable head disc carrying magnetic heads. When the magnetic tape is moved with the normal-play speed the magnetic heads scan reproduction areas of the magnetic tape from which the reproducing means can reproduce the normal-play reproduction data. Likewise, when the magnetic tape is moved with the first trick-play speed, the reproducing means can reproduce first trick-play reproduction data and, when the magnetic tape is moved with the second trick-play speed, they can reproduce second trick-play reproduction data, if such trick-play reproduction data has been recorded on the magnetic tape.
The known video recorder is adapted to reproduce reproduction data recorded on the magnetic tape in accordance with the DVHS standard (D-VHS System Standard, January, MPEG2 STD/HS/LS, Trick Play Format). The DVHS standard specifies that, in addition to normal-play reproduction data recorded in normal-play reproduction areas, trick-play data may be but need not be recorded in trick-play reproduction areas.
It has proved to be a drawback of the known video recorder that a user, after a magnetic-tape cassette has been inserted into the video recorder, does not have any information about the trick-play speeds at which trick-play reproduction data can be reproduced from the magnetic-tape cassette, for example as picture information. Thus, it may happen that the user of the video recorder selects the first trick-play speed for the reproduction of trick-play reproduction data and that a television set connected to the video recorder does not display any picture information although the trick-play reproduction data can be reproduced at a second trick-play speed and can be displayed as picture information.
In this respect, it has proved to be particularly disadvantageous when, for example, in addition to a first film recorded on the magnetic tape as normal-play reproduction data, first trick-play reproduction data reproducible at the first trick-play speed has been recorded and, in addition to a second film recorded as normal-play data on the magnetic tape after the first film, second trick-play reproduction data reproducible at the second trick-play speed has been recorded. When in this case the user activates the reproduction of trick-play reproduction data with the first trick-play speed, in order to obtain an overview of the films recorded on the magnetic-tape cassette, he will first see the picture information corresponding to the first film and will suddenly see no longer any picture information, although the second trick-play reproduction data can be reproduced at the second trick-play speed and can be displayed as picture information.